Plugging electrified objects into receptacles is an everyday occurrence. Polarized plugs and the small size of plugs, often makes locating the receptacle and orienting the plug difficult. This is particularly true for people with low vision and the vast majority of the middle-aged and elderly people with presbyopia. Additionally, people who are blind have difficulty locating receptacles and orienting plugs. Low vision is defined as vision that is impaired and cannot be corrected by way of surgery, glasses, or contacts. Presbyopia is a visual condition that develops in most middle-aged people in which loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye causes inability to focus sharply on near objects (often corrected by reading glasses that may not be readily available during the process of plug insertion). The process of locating a receptacle and orienting and inserting the plug can be frustrating especially for people with impaired vision. Impaired vision includes people with presbyopia, myopia, hyperopia, and low vision such as caused by amblyopia, and scotoma, and who are blind. The Illuminated Power Receptacle is designed to decrease the frustration of this task especially for impaired vision users.
To aid in proper plug insertion, we disclose differentiating the prong-holes on the receptacle with lighting or markings. The lighting or markings can be color coded. Additionally the plug prongs can be identified with markings, to match
the prong-holes on the receptacle. One embodiment is for the receptacle to have the hot prong-hole illuminated with red light and the neutral prong-hole illuminated with yellow light. Correspondingly the plug has a red mark on the hot prong side of the plug housing and a yellow mark on the neutral prong side. These features should help a human orient and properly insert a plug accurately and rapidly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,078,113 issued to True, et al. on Jun. 20, 2000 discloses a power socket with illuminated interior areas of each plug blade slot (prong-holes) using colored diodes with a first color for illuminating the neutral plug blade slot and a second color for the hot plug blade slot. Illumination of the prong-holes from the interior is distinct from illuminating or otherwise marking the prong-holes from the exterior or face of a receptacle. Interior prong-hole lighting may not project well through the prong-holes, especially when the receptacle is viewed from an angle as is commonly done and thus may not provide the user with adequate information to efficiently orient the plug. Additionally, this invention does not disclose labeling the associated plug. The current invention, claimed within this document, specifies that the receptacle prong-holes be distinguished, either by local lighting or specific patterns or colors on the surface to assist with rapid orientation of the plug. The type of lighting disclosed in the current invention should be visible from most viewing angles and is distinct from internal prong-hole lighting with color diodes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,893 issued to Yu, et al. on Jul. 18, 2000 discloses an illuminated electrical receptacle employing an electroluminescent light to illuminate the entire face of the receptacle. It is designed to light the entire receptacle, but without regard to further distinguishing the different receptacle holes, except as achievable by conventional ambient lighting. U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,411 issued to Dombusch on Apr. 15, 2003 discloses an illuminated outlet that illuminates a surrounding area to allow visibility at night. This invention relates to night lights. Neither of these inventions discloses using different colored lights, marks, or patterns, or of labeling the associated plug, indicating that plug orientation was not the object of these inventions. The current invention, claimed within this document, specifies that the receptacle prong-holes be distinguished, either by local lighting or specific patterns or colors to assist with rapid orientation of the plug.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,760 issued to Salatrik, et al. on Aug. 29, 2000 discloses an illuminated power outlet assembly for a motor vehicle using a light emitting diode positioned within a power outlet, specifically between the casing and the insulator, such that when the illumination device illuminates, the light passes through the insulator to light the power outlet. This invention is specific to a single outlet hole and makes no disclosure relevant to assisting with plug orientation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,101 issued to Chien on Feb. 6, 2001 describes a cover incorporating electroluminescent lighting elements to serve as a night light or for decorative purposes. This invention specifies that the cover is a wall plate, a switch cover, an electrical outlet cover, a cable outlet cover, a dimmer switch cover, a timer cover, and a keyboard fascia plate. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,166 issued to Lutzker on Nov. 4, 1997 discloses an electroluminescent wall plate. In the current invention, the lighting is integrated into the receptacle. Furthermore, the purpose of the lighting in the current invention is to aid in locating the receptacle and to guide the orientation for proper plug insertion not as a night light or decoration. In addition, the current receptacle system discloses use of the lighting in color or pattern combinations associated with the prong-holes in the receptacle and plug to guide the user in proper plug insertion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,408 issued to Marischen on Sep. 2, 1997 discloses a night light having conductors for connecting to an electrical supply. This invention is a plug in device.
Thus there is a need in the art for a receptacle with visual or tactile components to assist in locating the receptacle and assist with orientation to aid users.